On Wednesday, March 1, 2023, Quakertown senior Callan Abel was recognized for committing to compete in soccer at Clarkson University. (Photos courtesy of Jennifer Banas/Quakertown HS)
Callan Abel – Clarkson University (Soccer)
Major: Biomedical Engineering or Computer Software Engineering
Reasons for choosing Clarkson: “The university has a perfect student body size, and it offers an amazing engineering program. The location is also very beautiful. My soccer coach is very nice and is very driven to building the women’s soccer program.
What was the progression that led you to competing in soccer at the collegiate level? “I started thinking about playing soccer in college in the middle of my sophomore year. It was very difficult to go through the recruitment process because of COVID. In the beginning of my junior year, I had established relationships with college coaches over email, and over the summer, I went to many recruiting camps and college visits to find the perfect fit for me.”
Soccer coach Jon Gingrich says: “It is my pleasure to see Callie continue her soccer career at the collegiate level. Her strong work ethic and tenacity for the game is why she’s a four-year varsity player and a senior captain. Callie is loved by her teammates. She is a leader on the field and a great role model for all the players. She was always providing positive reinforcement and keeps players’ spirits high. It is a well-deserved accomplishment for Callie to be recognized for her college signing. Her dedication, work ethic and passion for the game have made her successful. I have no doubt her future is bright. Best of luck, Callie, in the next chapter of your life.”
Track coach Jason Anderson says: “Callie has been part of indoor and outdoor track, but my real message about Callie is: ‘Callie cares.’ You want Callie on your team. She cares about the world, she cares about the organization, she cares about people in the organization. We’ve been really lucky to have her. Athletically, she’s really untouchable in our opinion. To show you how she cares, we had a 4x2 relay last year indoors that was phenomenal, and you try to pick the best people for the best parts of the relay. Everyone knows if you want to have someone who gives everything they have for the team – it’s Callie, and she’s got to be the anchor. She will not back down, she will take no prisoners when she’s out there, and we just really enjoyed having her as that presence on our team. Dr. Hood and I joke that in about 10-12 years Callie is going be the CEO of a company and running all these organizations. I can picture it now because she’s that person who would know when everyone’s birthday is and what their children’s names are and what their spouse does for a living, and she’d also be able to outwork them in any aspect. I could go more into her time as an athlete, but it’s really the person Callie is – she cares, and she cares about everyone around her. I’m really proud of the fact that she was part of our team, and now she’s moving on to compete at a school that’s lucky to get her. Congrats, Callie, and best of luck in your future.”
About Callie:
Favorite food: Sushi & chocolate covered strawberries
Favorite TV show: Stranger Things
Favorite music: “I enjoy all types of music.”
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